Electric filling stop motion for narrow ware looms



INVENTOR GLENN D. JOHNSON.

AIIORNEY.

ear

Sept. 1, 1953 G. D. JOHNSON ELECTRIC FILLING STOP MOTION FOR NARROW WARE LOOMS Filed Jan. 10, 1952 Patented Sept. 1, 1953 ELECTRIC FILLING STOP MOTION FOR NARROW NAB-E LOOMS Glenn D. Johnson, Holden, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 10, 1952, Serial No. 265,800

16 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in filling stop motions for narrow ware looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide a simple form of electric means to stop the loom whenever the filling in any shuttle in the loom is in improper condition for weaving by being either broken, exhausted, or unduly slack,

Narrow ware looms ordinarily operate with the backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay along which is arranged a plurality of shuttle blocks to receive shuttles each of which moves from one shuttle block through a warp shed to an adjacent shuttle block. The shuttle is generally of the bow type and the fillin is commonly wound on a quill and is led from the latter through guides and then out of an eye at the front of the shuttle. Attempts have been made in the past to equip such looms with filling stop motions which would stop the loom upon occurrence of a filling fault in any shuttle, but they have not gone into general use, largely because they have not employed simple means for giving an indication of faulty filling condition occurring in any one of the several shuttles to some form of loom control.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide the loom with a stationary contact bar having two electrodes which extend lengthwise of the loom forward of and preferably parallel to the lay and mount on the contact bar a series of slide switches each normally in open position but movable to closed position by a detector on the corresponding shuttle in the event of filling fault in the shuttle.

It is a further object of the invention to make the contact bar the sole support for the sliding switches and mount the latter so that they always have contact with at least one of the electrodes but upon slidin movement are caused to have contact with both electrodes so that the latter can close a loom controlling circuit.

It is a still further object of the invention to make the switch of resilient material so as to insure movement of part at least of the switch into proper engagement with the insulated electrode of the contact bar when the switch is moved by the shuttle detector.

It is a further object of the invention to make the contact bar of an outer preferably grounded electrode and an inner electrode supportedby the outer electrode and form the latter with a rib or the like which will serve as a stop to limit rearward movement of the'sliding switch when the latter is manually reset after having been moved forwardly by a shuttle detector. In this iii connection it is a still further object to provide the outer electrode with a curved surface which cooperates with part of the resilient switch and the rib to hold the switch yieldingly in a stable normal rear position.

When the contact bar is made with the aforesaid outer electrode to partly encircle the inner electrode it is a still further object of the invention to provide resilient guides for the slides which can be snapped into guiding position where they will be held by their own resilience.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example the embodiments of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of part of a narrow ware loom having the invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View looking in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1, showing one shuttle and the corresponding switch element therefore and part of the contact bar,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 33, Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4, Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the sliding switch members,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view similar to a part of Fig. 3 showing the relation of a shuttle and its detector with respect to the associated switch when the detector is in non-indicating position,

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the relation of the parts when the shuttle detector is in indicating position and has moved the switch,

Fig. 8 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 8-8, Fig. 6, and

Fig. 9 shows diagrammatically electrically operated loom controlling means which can be used with the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the breast beam of the loom is indicated at i and the backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay at 2. The lay has secured thereto a series of aligned shuttle blocks 3, four of these blocks being shown, but in the usual narrow ware loom there are considerably more of these shuttle blocks than are shown in Fig. 1. Reeds d are secured to the lay between adjacent shuttle blocks and the loom is provided with a plurality or gang of shuttles S which as shown in Fig. 1 are in the shuttle blocks to the left of the associated reeds. By means of a well-known mechanism each shuttle moves from one shuttle block through its warp shed to an adjacent block when the lay is in the rear part of its motion and occupies one or the other of 3 the blocks when the lay approaches its front position to beat up the filling.

Each shuttle, as shown in Fig. 2, has a quill 5 wound with filling designated at F and rotatable on a pin 6 supported by the shuttle. The latter has eyes l, 8 and 9 through which the filling is threaded. The shuttle also has the forward bow part 40 thereof provided with a detector D shown here as comprising a closed coil spring II which supports inner and outer thread guides or eyes l2 and I3. The spring may be held the bow part If! of the shuttle in any approved manner and the spring is weak so that it can be deflected by a lateral pull exerted by the filling. As shown for instance in Fig. 2 it is assumed that the shuttle has moved to the left through its warp shed and that the filling, being held by the fabric being woven, has caused a lateral deflection of the spring II to the right to its non-indicating position as the lay heats up. On the next beat of the loom the shuttle will be in a block to the right of its fabric and the spring II will then be deflected to the left to non-indicating position. The normal non-indicating position of the detector when the lay moves forwardly is that shown in Fig. 2, but if the filling is in improper condition for weaving by being either broken, exhausted, or slack, the detector will then extend forwardly without being deflected and will be in its indicating position shown in Fig. 8. It is to be understood that the spring I I set forth herein is only one form of shuttle carried detector which may be used with the invention. 7

In carrying the invention into effect there is provided a stationary contact bar which is substantially parallel to and forward of the lay and at the approximate elevation suggested in Fig. 1. This bar is supported at intervals along its length by stands I which are secured as at It to the breast beam I. One of these stands is shown in Fig. 3 and has a head I1 provided with a transverse slot- I8 through which the contact bar 0 extends.

The contact bar comprises an outer electrode 20 and an inner electrode 2I supported. by it and within the outline of electrode 20, and insulation material 22 between the two electrodes keeps them insulated from each other. The head It is in the present instance provided with screws 23 which engage the top of the outer electrode 20 and hold it down against the stand I5 in. fixed position.

The outer electrode is provided with a rib 25 extending upwardly therefrom lengthwise and preferably centrally of the contact bar. The rear edge of the outer electrode is rounded as at 26 and has the upper part thereof curved downwardly and rearwardiy, or to the left as viewed in Fig. 6. The forward edge of the outer" electrode may be similarly formed. The outer elec'-'- trode incloses the inner electrode except for an exposed contact surface 2! which is within the outline of the outer electrode. The latter extends entirely over the top side of the inner electrode and has front and back lengthwise parts 28 thereof which are bent under parts of the inner electrode as shown for instance in Figs. 3 and 6.

The contact bar serves as a common support for a plurality of switches mounted thereon and designated generally at 3|], a switch being preferably provided for and in front of each shuttle block 3. Each switch has a substantially horizontal top 3| and bottom 32 the rear parts of which, the left as viewed in Fig. 3', are joined by an integral vertical rear wall 33. The forward or right end of the top 3| as viewed in Fig. 3 is bent downwardly to form a front vertical wall 34 which, however, is not secured to the bottom 32. The top 3| is provided with two downwardly extending. transverse projections or parts formed as er imps 35 and 38, the second or latter of which is behind the former, and the bottom 32 has an upwardly extending transverse part or crimp 31.

Under normal conditions the switches will be in" rear position as shown in Figs. 3 and 6 and crimp 35 will engage the downwardly and rearwardly curved rear edge 26 of the outer electrode and act due to resilience of the switch to hold crimp 35' against the rib 25. The bottom crimp 3'! will engage the rear part 28 of the contact bar. When the switch is in its normal rear position it contacts only the outer or grounded electrode 20 and is held yieldingly in a stable position. Each switch will be so located along the con tact bar that it will align with a detector I I when the associated shuttle is in the' corresponding sh'uttlebloclt' as the lay moves forwardly. If the filling is in proper condition for weaving the detector will be deflected to its non-indicating position and will not engage the rear wall 33 or the corresponding switch. If, however, the filling of any shuttle is in improper condition for Weaving, the associated detector will be in its indicating position and as the lay heats up the detector will engage the rear wall 33 of the corresponding, switch and slide it forwardly from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 7 so that the crimp 31 will engage the inner insulated ele'c jrode 2 I' to electrically connect both electrodes. The top-31 of the switch will preferably be in electric contact with; the outer electrode at all times. The switch is preferably made of. a narrow strip of resilient sheet metal and tends due toits resilience to grip the contact bar in any position it occupies on the bar.

After the switch has been moved. from its norh'ial position rcrwardly to its stoppin'g position it can be returned to normal position by rearward manually exerted pressure on wall 34. As the switch appio'achs its rear position crimp 36 will move down curved edge 26' and move crimp 35 against rib 25 to return the switch to a stable position on the contact bar.

Fig. 9 shows room controlling means effective to stop the 10011; whenever the electrodes 20 and ZI are electrically connected. by any one of the switches. This control means includes a source of electric power. such as. a transformer T, one side of which is connectedito the live electrode 2| and the other side of which is connected to a solenoid 0 connected to a contact I of a shipper mechanism controlled switch, designated at- 42. Switch 62 has a contact [3 which is securedv to a metallic knock-oil lever grounded by wire 45. The outer electrode 20 is grounded by wire 46. Link fl 'p'i'vbt'ed to lever 4 4 is controlled by core 48 of the solenoid and is. normally down out of the path bf lever 45' which is rocked regularly by cam 50.

Under normal conditions when all the switches are in their normal rear positions, as indicated for instance in Fig. 6, the two electrodes of the contact barwi'll be unconnected electrically and the solenoid remains deenergized'. when the electrodes are connected as already described the circuit shcwn in Fig. will be closed to energize th'ejjsOlie nbidQQ WHGTQQPOTI core 48 will be raised and lift link '41 into the path (if lever 43 and the knock-65 lever 4'4 will be recited to e'ifect loom stoppage in known manner. Since any of the switches will remain in the position to which it is moved by the shuttle detector the solenoid is will remain energized until the lever 49 can move the link 41 as described. When lever 44 is moved to stop the loom it opens switch 42.

Each switch is mounted for sliding movement on the contact bar between two guide clips 55 shown for instance in Fig. 2. These clips are preferably made of resilient material, such as sheet metal, and have a rounded front end 5'! to fit around a forward rounded part of the grounded electrode and is formed similarly at the rear end with a second curved part 53. By reason of the curved parts 51 and 58 each clip is held to the contact bar in adjusted position therealong without engaging the insulated electrode 2|. In order to permit removal of each guide clip it is formed with a hand hold 59 by which its forward end may be lifted. The upper part 60 of each clip extends over the rib 25 and is held in high enough position to afford adequate guiding for the switch.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention'sets forth simple means by which a condition improper for weaving occurring in the filling of any shuttle will result in closure of an electric circuit by means of a switch corresponding thereto which is slidable on the contact bar C. The contact bar C and its electrodes and 2| are common to all the switches and the bar serves as a support for the switches. Under normal conditions each switch is held in stable rear position by engagement of its crimps 35 and 38 with rib and rounded edge 26, respectively. When any switch is moved forwardly there will be some slight spreading of its top and bottom as the crimp 36 rises along the rear curved edge 26 of the outer electrode, but this will have the effect of insuring good contact between crimp 31 and the insulated electrode 2|. The spring guides can be slid along the contact bar to position each switch correctly for engagement with its detector, and after a stopping operation the operator may manually push the switch back to its non-stopping position, as shown for instance in Fig. 3. It should be understood that the detector D is set forth for illustrative purposes and is not the only type of detector which can be utilized with the invention, and it is further to be understood that if the loom is quite wide the contact bar C may be made in two or more parts, in which event the live electrodes will be electrically con nected to each other.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. In an electric filling stop motion for a narrow ware loom having a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay and having a gang of shuttles reciprocable on the lay lengthwise thereof, a detector on each shuttle held in non-indicating position provided the filling of the corresponding shuttle is in proper condition for weaving but moving to indicating position if the filling is in improper condition for weaving, a contact bar extending substantially parallel to the lay forward thereof, said bar having two electrodes insulated from each other, a plurality of electric switches arranged along said bar each slidable to front and rear positions on the contact bar and normally in rear position and ineffective to connect the electrodes electrically but slidable forwardly to front position and when in the latter position electrically connecting said electrodes, each detector when in the normal position thereof being ineffective to engage the associated switch during forward motion of the lay but when in the indicating position thereof being effective to move the associated switch from the rear position thereof to the front position thereof, and loom controlling means effective to stop the loom due to electric connection of said electrodes by any one of said switches.

2. In a filling stop motion for a narrow ware loom having a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay provided with a plurality of shuttle blocks to receive shuttles which are reciprocated lengthwise of the lay, a detector in each shuttle held in non-indicating position relative to the shuttle when the filling of the latter is in proper condition for weaving but moving to indicating position when the filling is in improper condition for weaving, a contact bar extending substantially parallel to the lay forward thereof and having two electrode insulated from each other, a switch for each shuttle block mounted on the contact bar for sliding movement relatively thereto and capable of assuming either front or rear positions on the bar, each switch when in the rear position thereof being ineffective to connect the electrodes electrically but when in the front position thereof being effective to connect said electrodes electrically, the detector of any shuttle in any shuttle block when in non-indicating position being ineffective to move the switch corresponding to the shuttle block during forward motion of the lay but being effective when in the indicating position thereof to move the corresponding switch to the front position thereof, and control means effective to stop the loom due to electric connection of said electrodes by any one of said switches.

3. A filling stop motion as set forth in claim 2 wherein one of said electrodes supports all of said switches and also supports the other electrode.

4. A filling stop motion as set forth in claim 2 wherein one of said electrodes is formed with a longitudinal rib and each switch has a part thereof formed for engagement with the rib to limit rearward movement of the switch relative to the contact bar.

5. A filling stop motion as set forth in claim 2 wherein one of the electrodes is formed with a longitudinal rib and has a rear edge which is curved downwardly and rearwardly and each switch is made of resilient material and has a part thereof for engagement with the rib and has a second part thereof for engagement with said rounded part of said one electrode, engagement of the second part of the switch with said rounded edge being effective due to the resilience of the switch to hold the first part of the latter against said rib to hold the switch normally in a stable rear position.

6. A filling stop motion as set forth in claim 2 wherein one of the electrodes has a part thereof extending over one side of the other electrode and has another part thereof extending along the opposite side of the other electrode, and the switch is made of resilient material and has a part thereof always in contact with said one electrode and has another part normally engaging said other part of said one electrode when the switch is in rear position but moves forwardly from said other part into engagement with said other electrode when the switch moves to front position.

7. A filling stop motion as set forth in: claim 2 wherein one of the electrodes encloses said other electrode except for an exposed lengthwise part thereof and the switch encircles said one elec trode without engaging the other electrode when in rear position but engages said other electrode at said exposed part when in front position.

8. In a filling stop motion for a narrow ware loom having a bachwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay and a shuttle on the lay provided with a detector which is normally in non indieating position as the lay beats up if the filling of the shuttle is in proper condition for weaving but is in an indicating position if the filling is in improper condition for weaving, an electric contact member in front of the lay having an outer electrode and an inner electrode insulated from the outer electrode, a switch mounted on said contact bar for back and forth sliding on said outer electrode normally in rear position and in engagement with said outer electrode and out of engagement with said inner electrode but slida-ble forwardly to stopping position to electrically connect said electrodes, said detector when in the non-indicating position thereof being ineffective to move said switch when the lay beats up but being effective when in the indicating position thereof to slide said contact forwardly on said outer electrode to said stopping position as the lay beats up, and loom controlling means effective to stop the loom when said switch electrically connects said electrodes.

9. In a filling stop motion for a narrow ware loom having a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay and a shuttle on. the lay provided with a detector which is normally in non-indicating position as the lay heats up if the filling of th shuttle is in proper condition for weaving but is in an indicating position if the filling is in improper condition for weaving, an electric contact bar supported on the loom in stationary position forward of the lay, said contact bar having two electrodes insulated from each other, a switch always in electric contact with one of said electrodes mounted on said contact bar for back and forth sliding motion thereon norm-ally in rear position out of electrical engagement with the other electrode but slidable forwardly on. the contact bar to a front position to electrically connect said electrodes, said detector when in the non-indicating position thereof being ineffective to move said switch as the lay beats up but being effective when in the indicating position thereof to move said switch to the front position thereof, and control means effective to stop the loom upon electrical connection of said electrodes by said switch.

10. In a filling stop motion for a narrow ware loom having a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay and a shuttle thereon provided with a detector which is normally in non-indicating position as the lay heats up if the filling of the shuttle is in proper condition for weaving but is in an indicating position if the filling is in improper condition for weaving, an electric contact bar comprising two electrodes insulated from each other mounted on the loom in front of the lay, a switch sliciable backwardly and forwardly on said contact bar to assume rear and front positions, said switch when in either front or rear position electrically contacting and being supported by one of said electrodes and when in the rear position thereof being out of electric contact with the other electrode but electrically contacting the latter when in the front positionthereof, said: detector when in the non'inclicating position thereof being ineffective to-move said switch to the front position thereof when the lay beats up but being ineffective when in the indicating position thereof to move said switch forwardly to the front position thereof to establ ish electrical: con-tact between said electrodes, and controlmeans to stop the m incident to electrical connection of said electrodes by said switch.

ll.- The structure set forth in claim 10 wherein said switch is made of resilient material and frictionally engages the contact bar when in both the rear and front positions thereof relative to the: bar.

12. The structure set forth in claim 10 wherein said switch after being moved forwardly by said detector remains in forward position to continue electrical connection of said electrodes as the lay moves rearwardly.

13. The structure set forth in claim 10 wherein one of said electrodes is formed with a rib extending substantially parallel to the lay and said switch isprovided with a projection forward of said rib to engage the latter to limit rearward movement of the switch when the latter is moved rearwardlyafter being moved forwardly by the detector.

14. The structure set forth in claim 10 wherein resilient guide clips are held due to the resilience thereof: to said outer electrode on opposite sides of said switch to guide the latter as it slides on said outer electrode;

15. The structure set forth in claim 14 wherein guide clips are metallic and are out of electric contact with said other electrode.

16. In filling stop means for a narrow ware loom having a backwardly' and forwardly reciprocatinglay provided with a plurality of shuttle blocks to receive shuttles which are reoiprocated lengthwise of the lay during. loom operation, a filling detector for each shuttle which is in nonindicating positionif the filling of the shuttle is in proper condition for weaving but is in indicating position if. the filling is in improper condition for weaving when the shuttle is in one of the shuttle blocks as the lay moves forwardly, an electric switch forward of each shuttle block, a common support for said switches constituting a contact bar having two electrodes insulated from each other and common to all of said switches, said switches when in the normal position thereof on said support being ineffective to electrically connect said electrodes and when in the stopping position thereof being effective to connect said electrodes, any filling. detector when in the indicating position thereof when the corresponding shuttle is in a shuttle block as the lay moves forwardly being effective to move the switch corresponding to the shuttle block to stopping position, and loom controlling means operative to stop the loom upon electric connection of. said electrodes by any of said switches.

GLENN D. JOHNSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,356,458 Holmes Aug. 22, 1944 2,512,428 Hutchins June 20, 1950 2,557,533 Corl June 19, 1951 2,565,043 Pruitt Aug. 21, 1951 

